Outgoing Indian Army Chief Gen Upendra Dwivedi on Tuesday said the situation along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) is "stable, but sensitive", while stressing that the armed forces continue to maintain a "robust deployment posture" and are prepared to respond to any contingency.
In an interview with IANS, General Dwivedi emphasised that stability along the northern borders requires constant vigilance, credible preparedness, and sustained engagement through established mechanisms. When asked about the current situation along the Line of Actual Control in Eastern Ladakh and subsequent military-diplomatic engagement, the outgoing Army Chief said, "The foremost lesson is that stability along the LAC requires constant vigilance, credible preparedness and sustained engagement through established mechanisms."
"The situation along the Northern Borders is stable, but sensitive. Disengagement agreements have contributed to improving stability on the ground, and both sides are showing greater responsiveness and sensitivity to each other's concerns," he added.
Gen Dwivedi mentioned that local issues arising from differing perceptions of the LAC are addressed through military-to-military interactions, hotlines, flag meetings and commander-level engagements. "More than a thousand ground-level interactions take place annually between the two sides, helping address routine border management issues and prevent misunderstandings," he said.
At the same time, the outgoing Army Chief said stability does not mean complacency. "The Indian Army continues to maintain a robust deployment posture and remains prepared to respond to any contingency. Infrastructure development, surveillance, logistics, mobility and capability enhancement along the Northern Borders remain priority areas," he said.
He said that the Indian Army's long-term approach is clear -- maintain peace and tranquillity, resolve local issues through dialogue and established mechanisms, while ensuring that "we remain fully prepared to deal with all contingencies".
Gen Dwivedi also stressed that 'Atmanirbharta' (Indigenisation) is now a "core requirement" of national security and future warfighting. "In a crisis, the nation must be able to rely on its own systems, its own industrial base and ability to sustain long-duration conflicts," he added.